The Labor enquirer., 1887-01-29
THE LESSON ov aIsroRy.
Laber Must Get Political Psssesion Of
the State.
For tho Enquirer.

For tho Enquirer.
We hear very fine lectures at the Chi.
cago Secular Union, which holds sessions
every Sunday evening. That delivered
BY Dyer D. Lum was no exception, un.
less II was finer than the rest. The
Lesson Of History" is. that society takes
steps bv means Of Revolutions. One
Revolution freed the people from theo-
logical bondage another from political
bondage; and we may expect another
that will destroy economic bondage no
one need expect to see freedom attained
by peaceful means. The lecturer did
not pretend TO say what ought TO occur.
nor what he hoped would occur, but
merely what will naturally and inevita.
bly occur.
Perhaps the lecturer omitted several
points IN history from which We NAV
draw lessons. He mentioned the En-.
gllsh Revolution Of 1888. but did not say
that II was peaceful one. Macaulay
SAYS: "This Revolution, Of all Revolu-
tions the least violent, has been OF all
Revolutions the most benehcent. 1t
finally decided the great question
whether the popular element should be
sdestroyed by the monarchical element
or sho1ll be suffered to develop itself
freely and to become dominant"
Slavery was abolished in England,
Russia and India without force or blood
shed. SO II might have been In the
United States, had economic elements
been allowed TO develop themselves.
Then one lesson should he that q war is
an abominable and premature attempt
TO force natural development.
Again, Micaulay SAYS: ut is remark
able that the two greatest ani most sal
utary social Revelations which have
taken place in England, that Revolution,
which ln the thirteenth century put an
end to the tyranny Of nation over na-
ton. and that Revolution which, q few
generations later, put an end to the
property Of man Ia man. were silently
and unpercepti Nly effected. Thew We re
brought about neither bv legislative
regulations nor by physical force"
A lesson is something learned that
may be useful In future actions. History
teaches no lesson II we must believe
that what has happened must happen
again. Ifit took $4,000. .OO00 worth If
powder and balls to free slaves worth
$1,000. 900. 900. Counting 100000 lives
as naughty, shall the lesson be that we
will be just s extravsgant next time
and pay for ammunition three times the
value OF the object desired, or that we
will use our experience towards gaining
the object In the cheapest possible man.
ner2
No one can be positive that there will
be no war during the settlement Of pres
ent troubles. A few take the opposite
view, and are positive there must be
violence. Their reasoning powers seem
TO be In an abnormal condition. They
assert, and repeat until repetition Is re-
garded as evidence, various saws, such
as, "Never In the history Of the world
has anv great change been brought about
peacefully" though the history I have
quoted proves the contrary; aud,
"Tyrants never yield their grip without
being forced to do so." History SLOWS
that thattyrants. political and industrial,
are but puppets In the grasp Of social
forces; and that they never resist, but
depend upon the strength Of others to
shield their dainty persons. When the
people in this country. who are free from
all tyranny except economic tyranny.
devise or demand q system taat dis.
penses with landlords aud industrial
lords, the struggles Of the lords will not
be worth noticing. They will try to en-
list In their cause the forces Of the state
and this Is the chief reason whv labor
must get political possession Of the state.
Then the lords must take the attitude
OF rebels and that Is what We desire.
They will have no fhnatical personal fol
lowing as the feudal barons Of old had,
and these have had sense enough to
grasp the situation and learn to per.
form some useful labor or starve.
We cannot assume that these fore
boders OF violence desire bloodshed
but being convinced that II must come
they made 1t a hobby. and q lecture or
essay Is regarded rs exceedingly dry and
and tame II Il docs not mention the
coming confliets Their agitation be-
comes limited 10 existing miserIes and
violent retaliation they cannot enter
tain reform In the nature Of strategical
or political measures. which are de-
vissd with view Of comprising the VA
nous conflicting social elements just
now 90 conspicuous. They distort th'
laws Of logic; for instance. whom 20
l,ceman violates Ill the laws and ruls'